[Lotto StudParticipant]

Why is it that he gets bashed for now being an explosive enough athlete….He posted a 41inch vert which shows he is explosive enough. That’s just not part of his game, he is a laid back fella, but you can’t just say he is not athletic because it is not fair to him…..He is not Jordan Farmar who posted 42inches who is not "athletic". Mayo can do some things other guys do on the court he just chooses not to do so. I’ve seen Mayo do windmills etc in clips.

"Oj Mayo is not a phenomenal athlete. Slightly above average athlete who settles for jump shots 95% of time. Reason he was benched."-Troc73

[HobbyOGParticipant]

He gets bashed because of all the publicity he was getting in 9th and 10th grade..they were saying he was the next Lebron James coming out of High School…so it’s the media faught for hyping him up the way they did.

[HobbyOGParticipant]

He gets bashed because of all the publicity he was getting in 9th and 10th grade..they were saying he was the next Lebron James coming out of High School…so it’s the media faught for hyping him up the way they did.

[TimbosliceParticipant]

He’s not a phenomenal athlete. He and D-wade are the same height but is obviously on another level athletically, D-wade is a phenomenal athlete… Mayo is a good athlete. Combine results aren’t everything, it’s been discussed on here numerous times. Also mayo has a terrible attitude, like his sh!t smells like roses because he’s THE OJ Mayo… That’s the main reason he was benched

[TimbosliceParticipant]

He’s not a phenomenal athlete. He and D-wade are the same height but is obviously on another level athletically, D-wade is a phenomenal athlete… Mayo is a good athlete. Combine results aren’t everything, it’s been discussed on here numerous times. Also mayo has a terrible attitude, like his sh!t smells like roses because he’s THE OJ Mayo… That’s the main reason he was benched

[esperanzafleet69Participant]

id love to hear where people get these sources.. but the real reason mayo was benched was simply to have a lockdown defender start… the grizzlies have enough scoring as is and mayo is a good boost off the bench for the second unit…

[esperanzafleet69Participant]

id love to hear where people get these sources.. but the real reason mayo was benched was simply to have a lockdown defender start… the grizzlies have enough scoring as is and mayo is a good boost off the bench for the second unit…

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Isn’t that courageous? I mean, he has a lot of talent, but why waste it by using it for the betterment of his team and game? The fact is, OJ Mayo is extremely talented, but he deserves little more credit than he already gets. He has steadily declined each year in the league, whereas many of his peers have gone the route of getting better. OJ more than likely is better now than he was than, but he only shows it in flashes. He RARELY gets to the FT stripe (not to mention, his FT% has declined from an amazing 88% as a rook to below 80%. Not that he is a bad FT shooter, but that matters) and he just seems to always have a me first attitude.

For a guy that averaged 11.3 ppg on under 40% shooting from the field in the play-offs, I am wondering why he deserves more credit? He is supremely talented, he is a very solid shooter, and he is indeed an above average athlete. Though, like Jordan Farmar, I think his combine numbers may be deceiving and he certainly does not use his athleticism to his advantage even close to guys he posted higher verts than at the combine. These include Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon. All posted lower vert numbers, all are still more athletic and explosive than OJ, without question. It goes to show that combine numbers are not even close to the end all be all, and it is less about what you post in your "Max Vert" and more about how high you jump in the second half, after you have jumped about 30 times already in the game and ran all out.

The fact is, most NBA players "choose" not to do things they can do. Aaron Brooks can throw down like crazy. Seen it in person. Damon Stoudamire could as well, but he said dunking in games took to much energy. Well, OJ appears to be in that category, whereas a few of his contemporaries seem to be looking to attack the basket with reckless abandon. OJ is a great player, there is little reason he should have had a down year like this. Tony Allen just proved that his defense was much more valuable than OJ’s offense, all you had to do was much the guy guard Kevin Durant to see that one. Still, OJ needs to step things up, accept his role and improve his percentages rather see everything dip to a pretty awful 3rd season. He is kind of turning from Ray Allen (whom he actually had a better rookie year than) to JR Smith, and I think that is as much attitude as anything. All I know is, JR Smith has been an explosive scorer at times, but he is not someone you would want to be compared to as a former 3rd pick in the draft. He is streaky and he is not someone you can count on, he is simply not a team leader. So, exactly what credit does OJ deserve? I am interested to know.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Isn’t that courageous? I mean, he has a lot of talent, but why waste it by using it for the betterment of his team and game? The fact is, OJ Mayo is extremely talented, but he deserves little more credit than he already gets. He has steadily declined each year in the league, whereas many of his peers have gone the route of getting better. OJ more than likely is better now than he was than, but he only shows it in flashes. He RARELY gets to the FT stripe (not to mention, his FT% has declined from an amazing 88% as a rook to below 80%. Not that he is a bad FT shooter, but that matters) and he just seems to always have a me first attitude.

For a guy that averaged 11.3 ppg on under 40% shooting from the field in the play-offs, I am wondering why he deserves more credit? He is supremely talented, he is a very solid shooter, and he is indeed an above average athlete. Though, like Jordan Farmar, I think his combine numbers may be deceiving and he certainly does not use his athleticism to his advantage even close to guys he posted higher verts than at the combine. These include Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon. All posted lower vert numbers, all are still more athletic and explosive than OJ, without question. It goes to show that combine numbers are not even close to the end all be all, and it is less about what you post in your "Max Vert" and more about how high you jump in the second half, after you have jumped about 30 times already in the game and ran all out.

The fact is, most NBA players "choose" not to do things they can do. Aaron Brooks can throw down like crazy. Seen it in person. Damon Stoudamire could as well, but he said dunking in games took to much energy. Well, OJ appears to be in that category, whereas a few of his contemporaries seem to be looking to attack the basket with reckless abandon. OJ is a great player, there is little reason he should have had a down year like this. Tony Allen just proved that his defense was much more valuable than OJ’s offense, all you had to do was much the guy guard Kevin Durant to see that one. Still, OJ needs to step things up, accept his role and improve his percentages rather see everything dip to a pretty awful 3rd season. He is kind of turning from Ray Allen (whom he actually had a better rookie year than) to JR Smith, and I think that is as much attitude as anything. All I know is, JR Smith has been an explosive scorer at times, but he is not someone you would want to be compared to as a former 3rd pick in the draft. He is streaky and he is not someone you can count on, he is simply not a team leader. So, exactly what credit does OJ deserve? I am interested to know.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’ve always thought it was the other way around and that Mayo got more credit than he deserved.

He really isn’t an explosive athlete. Combine results aren’t everything… Take them with a grain of salt. You can train for months and post a high vertical. Plus jumping a few times isn’t the same as jumping repeatedly over and over again after running down the floor a ton of times. I mean, Luke Babbitt tested like an elite athlete at the combine and is far from it. He tested better than Kevin Durant. And I know a ton of people who can do windmills and who aren’t amazing athletes. 

Mayo is an average athlete and it shows. His first step is average, which is why he struggles beating defenders off of the dribble consistently at this level. He struggles finishing around the rim (all you have to do is just watch him play). And unlike a Dwayne Wade or even an Eric Gordon, he doesn’t have that kind of length to be effective as an undersized two guard. Mayo peaked a long time ago athletically. He peaked in high school.

The truth is, Mayo is a tweener. However, he does have some good qualities. He’s confident. His footwork is very good. And he can shoot/score the ball. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness, but he is an aggressive/physical defender on the ball when he locks in. He won’t back down from a challenge, which is great.

IF Mayo is to reach max potential, I think he’ll have to tone down his ego and realize that he’s not the next big thing in the league. I thought he did very well in the playoffs. He was moving the ball, making the right passes and playing like a player that "got over" himself.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’ve always thought it was the other way around and that Mayo got more credit than he deserved.

He really isn’t an explosive athlete. Combine results aren’t everything… Take them with a grain of salt. You can train for months and post a high vertical. Plus jumping a few times isn’t the same as jumping repeatedly over and over again after running down the floor a ton of times. I mean, Luke Babbitt tested like an elite athlete at the combine and is far from it. He tested better than Kevin Durant. And I know a ton of people who can do windmills and who aren’t amazing athletes. 

Mayo is an average athlete and it shows. His first step is average, which is why he struggles beating defenders off of the dribble consistently at this level. He struggles finishing around the rim (all you have to do is just watch him play). And unlike a Dwayne Wade or even an Eric Gordon, he doesn’t have that kind of length to be effective as an undersized two guard. Mayo peaked a long time ago athletically. He peaked in high school.

The truth is, Mayo is a tweener. However, he does have some good qualities. He’s confident. His footwork is very good. And he can shoot/score the ball. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness, but he is an aggressive/physical defender on the ball when he locks in. He won’t back down from a challenge, which is great.

IF Mayo is to reach max potential, I think he’ll have to tone down his ego and realize that he’s not the next big thing in the league. I thought he did very well in the playoffs. He was moving the ball, making the right passes and playing like a player that "got over" himself.

[larbear260Participant]

gets bashed because he was so over hyped out of high school…and now that hes gotten to the pros hes going to become more of a Jason Terry rather then the first OJ Mayo as people thought he would be a mega star

[larbear260Participant]

gets bashed because he was so over hyped out of high school…and now that hes gotten to the pros hes going to become more of a Jason Terry rather then the first OJ Mayo as people thought he would be a mega star

[omphalosParticipant]

@IndianaBasketball: I agree about his performance in the playoffs; I kept waiting for him to fire up and go on a scoring run, but for most of the time he was on the court he was playing very sound, team-oriented basketball, and also showed a willingness to step up in late game situations. He was making some very nice passes too, and as you mentioned he did a great job defending on the ball; he seemed very good at stopping dribble penetration, but could do very little against jump-shooters, which was fortunate against TP, who you’d give the outside shot.

I daresay this is where the credit is due, his maturation over the course of this season to the point where he became a team player and showed humility in doing what was best for his team in the playoffs. That said, I don’t see him sticking around in Memphis, but would love to see him end up somewhere like Charlotte or Minnesota, where he could get a fresh start and the opportunity to bring that team-first attitude to a situation where it will be very helpful.

I’m not prepared to give up on Mayo as a reliable player down the track.

Just as an aside, does anyone else get a little depressed writing about the next season as if it’s going ahead as normal. I’m in serious denial about this lock-out, makes it hard to enjoy basketball at the moment, hope the players wise up fast.

[omphalosParticipant]

@IndianaBasketball: I agree about his performance in the playoffs; I kept waiting for him to fire up and go on a scoring run, but for most of the time he was on the court he was playing very sound, team-oriented basketball, and also showed a willingness to step up in late game situations. He was making some very nice passes too, and as you mentioned he did a great job defending on the ball; he seemed very good at stopping dribble penetration, but could do very little against jump-shooters, which was fortunate against TP, who you’d give the outside shot.

I daresay this is where the credit is due, his maturation over the course of this season to the point where he became a team player and showed humility in doing what was best for his team in the playoffs. That said, I don’t see him sticking around in Memphis, but would love to see him end up somewhere like Charlotte or Minnesota, where he could get a fresh start and the opportunity to bring that team-first attitude to a situation where it will be very helpful.

I’m not prepared to give up on Mayo as a reliable player down the track.

Just as an aside, does anyone else get a little depressed writing about the next season as if it’s going ahead as normal. I’m in serious denial about this lock-out, makes it hard to enjoy basketball at the moment, hope the players wise up fast.

[iguapops420Participant]

 A lot of his peers also haven’t added players such as Z-Bo and MArc GAsol. Doesn’t help when your supposed pass first pg is out there jacking shotsup not looking to really set others up. OJ can score with the best of them, he’s just not a bench guy. He’s not Jamal Crawford or JR SMith, guys who are selfish looking to shoot everytime they get the ball. The fact that OJ has become such a team player is part of the reason for his dcline every year.He started as a second option rookie year with terrific numbers, then took a back seat to Z-Bo becomig the teams third option who was still putting up terrific numbers something like 16,3,3. With the emergence of Marc Gasol, who is a terrific interior presence, it has taken even more from him offensively and Mike Conley(who was overpaid in the offseason and trying to "get his" this year and prove his contract) all form a group of offensive players. OJ isn’t a terrible defender, just not good enough to mke up for Conley’s poor D so T.A. ws inserted into the starting lineup expecting that OJ would be able to come in and be a Crawford,Terry,Smith for the GRizz, but he just doesn’t play like that now. Trade OJ and get him  fresh start. Put him beside of Blake Griffin as a second/first option on a non contender now and see what he can do. OJ is just in a bad place right now. Grizzlies fans, if you aren’t OJ fans, please send him to LAL, we will gladly take him off your hands ata fair price.

[iguapops420Participant]

 A lot of his peers also haven’t added players such as Z-Bo and MArc GAsol. Doesn’t help when your supposed pass first pg is out there jacking shotsup not looking to really set others up. OJ can score with the best of them, he’s just not a bench guy. He’s not Jamal Crawford or JR SMith, guys who are selfish looking to shoot everytime they get the ball. The fact that OJ has become such a team player is part of the reason for his dcline every year.He started as a second option rookie year with terrific numbers, then took a back seat to Z-Bo becomig the teams third option who was still putting up terrific numbers something like 16,3,3. With the emergence of Marc Gasol, who is a terrific interior presence, it has taken even more from him offensively and Mike Conley(who was overpaid in the offseason and trying to "get his" this year and prove his contract) all form a group of offensive players. OJ isn’t a terrible defender, just not good enough to mke up for Conley’s poor D so T.A. ws inserted into the starting lineup expecting that OJ would be able to come in and be a Crawford,Terry,Smith for the GRizz, but he just doesn’t play like that now. Trade OJ and get him  fresh start. Put him beside of Blake Griffin as a second/first option on a non contender now and see what he can do. OJ is just in a bad place right now. Grizzlies fans, if you aren’t OJ fans, please send him to LAL, we will gladly take him off your hands ata fair price.

[Jlv2011]

"Mayo can do some things other guys do on the court he just chooses not to do so"

I’m sorry this is not an excuse, how do you know Mayo holds back his potential?  Then it’s comparable to say Lebron chokes in the 4th because he chooses to do so as well.

[Jlv2011]

"Mayo can do some things other guys do on the court he just chooses not to do so"

I’m sorry this is not an excuse, how do you know Mayo holds back his potential?  Then it’s comparable to say Lebron chokes in the 4th because he chooses to do so as well.

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

IMO, Mayo is a perfect hybrid between Kobe and JR Smith… He is better than just a sixth man but isnt quite the best player around.. He has that unique skill set that would allow him to be a fantastic SG on a great team because at any given time, he can score but when he isnt getting his, he can create for others..  Put him with the Orlando Magic and he would be an All-Star. On a team where he is a focal point of the offense, he would be amazing.

The problem with him in Memphis is that he doesnt fit a need for the team.. They have Gay and Randolph that are your 20 point socrers.. They have Conley, who is very underrated as a PG, and Gasol to do thier respective jobs of passing and rebounding, and a slew of great defenders like Tony Allen, Shane Battier, and Sam Young.. Mayo is a playmaker on a team where one is not needed… Orlando needs one very very bad and so do the Hornets..

[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

IMO, Mayo is a perfect hybrid between Kobe and JR Smith… He is better than just a sixth man but isnt quite the best player around.. He has that unique skill set that would allow him to be a fantastic SG on a great team because at any given time, he can score but when he isnt getting his, he can create for others..  Put him with the Orlando Magic and he would be an All-Star. On a team where he is a focal point of the offense, he would be amazing.

The problem with him in Memphis is that he doesnt fit a need for the team.. They have Gay and Randolph that are your 20 point socrers.. They have Conley, who is very underrated as a PG, and Gasol to do thier respective jobs of passing and rebounding, and a slew of great defenders like Tony Allen, Shane Battier, and Sam Young.. Mayo is a playmaker on a team where one is not needed… Orlando needs one very very bad and so do the Hornets..

[NJHooper95Participant]

These vertical numbers are becoming insignificant. A vertical leap suggest how high you can get in the air,but not how quick and powerful you get there. This is what we see with Farmar and O.J. The have high vertical leaps, but they dont possess that poweful, explosive, quick, leap, like a Rose, Westbook, B Davis in his Prime. O.J is a solid player, he is far from the player he was a hyped up to be, but he is still a key contributor and can be be a long time.

[NJHooper95Participant]

These vertical numbers are becoming insignificant. A vertical leap suggest how high you can get in the air,but not how quick and powerful you get there. This is what we see with Farmar and O.J. The have high vertical leaps, but they dont possess that poweful, explosive, quick, leap, like a Rose, Westbook, B Davis in his Prime. O.J is a solid player, he is far from the player he was a hyped up to be, but he is still a key contributor and can be be a long time.

[M-DYMESParticipant]

This needs to be said…

Just because you can jump doesn’t necessarily make you a great athlete.  Quickness, speed, strength, balance, coordination…all these attributes (and then some) all play apart towards being an athlete. 

[M-DYMESParticipant]

This needs to be said…

Just because you can jump doesn’t necessarily make you a great athlete.  Quickness, speed, strength, balance, coordination…all these attributes (and then some) all play apart towards being an athlete. 

[iguapops420Participant]

 ^^^I agre, and in my opinion OJ is above average on all of these. His vert isn’t what the combine says it was, but he’s still near elite everytwhere else. Just not superhuman elite like a Wade,Rose,LBJ, or Westbrook.OJ’s athleticism is best described as "smooth" IMO. He’s great athletically at everything just not really super explosive. BTW, Farmar’s vert actually shows when he is closing out on a shooter defensively. Just not otherwise very often. If you ask me, OJ has gone from being overrated to underrated over the course of a season. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see Gay end up traded and OJ become the primary scorer on the perimeter using Z and Gasol as options 1 and 2.

[iguapops420Participant]

 ^^^I agre, and in my opinion OJ is above average on all of these. His vert isn’t what the combine says it was, but he’s still near elite everytwhere else. Just not superhuman elite like a Wade,Rose,LBJ, or Westbrook.OJ’s athleticism is best described as "smooth" IMO. He’s great athletically at everything just not really super explosive. BTW, Farmar’s vert actually shows when he is closing out on a shooter defensively. Just not otherwise very often. If you ask me, OJ has gone from being overrated to underrated over the course of a season. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see Gay end up traded and OJ become the primary scorer on the perimeter using Z and Gasol as options 1 and 2.

[bdiddy5115Participant]

I’d say he’s a good athlete, but not a great one. He appears to some to be average, but that’s largely because he’s merely a good one that is undersized. I do agree that he gets less credit as a player than he deserves.

Under Iavaroni, he started his rookie year fantastically, averaging over 20 ppg on very efficient %s as a focal point of the offense. Hollins comes in and implants an offense that focuses on the bigs and the PG (Conley, who was struggling at the time). This made Gay and Mayo (considered the "future of the team" at the time) underutilized…but Hollins chose Gay over Mayo as the primary perimeter scoring option. So a #3 pick who has a great rookie year goes to the 4th option and floor spacer – yet manages to put up similar numbers on higher effciciency (46%/38%).

His 3rd year was about as bad as could be – yet everyone chooses to put more stock in it than in his first two years, calling it evidence of the claim that he’s "a 6th man at best" for his career…and that makes no sense to me. He plays under a coach that has made it obvious he doesn’t like him, he was suspended, benched, ignored on offense, beat up by a teammate…of course his stats are going to be much worse than before. Even through that, he improved his D to an impressive level (locked down Westbrook in the playoffs). This wasn’t a "normal" season by any stretch of the imagination. This was a guy who had more swagger than nearly anyone – and by the end of the year, he had none. He needs a change of scenery.

He’s gotten so little freedom for a #3 pick that its baffling. The only time he has gotten some, he played fantastically (and that was for the first few months of his rookie career, at that). I’m positive he’s going to be an impact player when he gets his chance.

 

 

[bdiddy5115Participant]

I’d say he’s a good athlete, but not a great one. He appears to some to be average, but that’s largely because he’s merely a good one that is undersized. I do agree that he gets less credit as a player than he deserves.

Under Iavaroni, he started his rookie year fantastically, averaging over 20 ppg on very efficient %s as a focal point of the offense. Hollins comes in and implants an offense that focuses on the bigs and the PG (Conley, who was struggling at the time). This made Gay and Mayo (considered the "future of the team" at the time) underutilized…but Hollins chose Gay over Mayo as the primary perimeter scoring option. So a #3 pick who has a great rookie year goes to the 4th option and floor spacer – yet manages to put up similar numbers on higher effciciency (46%/38%).

His 3rd year was about as bad as could be – yet everyone chooses to put more stock in it than in his first two years, calling it evidence of the claim that he’s "a 6th man at best" for his career…and that makes no sense to me. He plays under a coach that has made it obvious he doesn’t like him, he was suspended, benched, ignored on offense, beat up by a teammate…of course his stats are going to be much worse than before. Even through that, he improved his D to an impressive level (locked down Westbrook in the playoffs). This wasn’t a "normal" season by any stretch of the imagination. This was a guy who had more swagger than nearly anyone – and by the end of the year, he had none. He needs a change of scenery.

He’s gotten so little freedom for a #3 pick that its baffling. The only time he has gotten some, he played fantastically (and that was for the first few months of his rookie career, at that). I’m positive he’s going to be an impact player when he gets his chance.

 

 

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

I don’t think anyone bashes Mayo for his lack of elite athletecism, he has adequate of it to be a good NBA player to go with his skills, the moment Mayo stop driving to the basket, was the beginning of his decline, thus came all the bashing and labeling him an underachiever. He has become content with shooting strictly jumpshots. He use to be a great penetrator in high school and college, that’s no longer the case, he has turned himself into a one dimensional scorer. 

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

I don’t think anyone bashes Mayo for his lack of elite athletecism, he has adequate of it to be a good NBA player to go with his skills, the moment Mayo stop driving to the basket, was the beginning of his decline, thus came all the bashing and labeling him an underachiever. He has become content with shooting strictly jumpshots. He use to be a great penetrator in high school and college, that’s no longer the case, he has turned himself into a one dimensional scorer. 

[JNixonParticipant]

I think both MikeyV and Indianabasketball broke him down perfectly.

[JNixonParticipant]

I think both MikeyV and Indianabasketball broke him down perfectly.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 "A vertical leap suggest how high you can get in the air,but not how quick and powerful you get there" You must never have taken physics in college, or high school for that matter…The quickness I get, but power? 

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 "A vertical leap suggest how high you can get in the air,but not how quick and powerful you get there" You must never have taken physics in college, or high school for that matter…The quickness I get, but power? 

[NJHooper95Participant]

Well actually i have considering I have multiple college degrees. But you can be a good leaper and not explode off the ground. Like Rose he explodes off the ground vs. Jordan Farmar, who has good hops but is not a powerful leaper. Robert Pack vs Brandon Jennings. Pack was explosive, while Jennings is good athlete he doesnt explode. I understand what you are saying; you have to have power to jump high, true, but explosiveness is extra power and separates people like Rose, Westbrook, and Pack, from guys like Mayo, Jennings, and Farmar. Explosion-Power.

[NJHooper95Participant]

Well actually i have considering I have multiple college degrees. But you can be a good leaper and not explode off the ground. Like Rose he explodes off the ground vs. Jordan Farmar, who has good hops but is not a powerful leaper. Robert Pack vs Brandon Jennings. Pack was explosive, while Jennings is good athlete he doesnt explode. I understand what you are saying; you have to have power to jump high, true, but explosiveness is extra power and separates people like Rose, Westbrook, and Pack, from guys like Mayo, Jennings, and Farmar. Explosion-Power.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 I guess I’m the only one who think he had a good performance against OKC. He had 5 good games, 2 slouchers. I remember in game 3, he was a big reason they won. They even inserted him back in the starting lineup, because of his 3 point shooting, he stretched the floor for the team and if anyone goes back and watches the end of those games, while Tony Allen was on Durant, OJ Mayo was playing really good defense on Russell Westbrook. He’s a very capable player when given the opportunity. The reason he "regressed" was because he played 12 less minutes a game, If the trade with Indiana would have been made, we wouldn’t be having the conversation because he would have started at 2 and did what he usually does.

[Pistol Pete. The PelicanParticipant]

 I guess I’m the only one who think he had a good performance against OKC. He had 5 good games, 2 slouchers. I remember in game 3, he was a big reason they won. They even inserted him back in the starting lineup, because of his 3 point shooting, he stretched the floor for the team and if anyone goes back and watches the end of those games, while Tony Allen was on Durant, OJ Mayo was playing really good defense on Russell Westbrook. He’s a very capable player when given the opportunity. The reason he "regressed" was because he played 12 less minutes a game, If the trade with Indiana would have been made, we wouldn’t be having the conversation because he would have started at 2 and did what he usually does.

[Kinguy11Participant]

The next time a player gets their regular season High School games on ESPN Live is when someone has even a chance of becoming the next LeBron James.

[Kinguy11Participant]

The next time a player gets their regular season High School games on ESPN Live is when someone has even a chance of becoming the next LeBron James.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 I know what you’re saying and I totally agree with you in the differences and I agree that combine numbers don’t mean as much as some people think, but my point was you have to have power to get up there, it’s the explosiveness along with the quickness of the jumping that distinguishes the two.  I wasn’t trying to attack you on that or anything just so you know, and I typically agree with everything you say.

[NJHooper95Participant]

I stated that you have to have power to get up the high. I understand what you meant as well. Its good to debate with people who actually know sports(basketball). I look forward to more of it.

[NJHooper95Participant]

I stated that you have to have power to get up the high. I understand what you meant as well. Its good to debate with people who actually know sports(basketball). I look forward to more of it.

[Chilbert arenasParticipant]

 I know what you’re saying and I totally agree with you in the differences and I agree that combine numbers don’t mean as much as some people think, but my point was you have to have power to get up there, it’s the explosiveness along with the quickness of the jumping that distinguishes the two.  I wasn’t trying to attack you on that or anything just so you know, and I typically agree with everything you say.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

"It goes to show that combine numbers are not even close to the end all be all, and it is less about what you post in your "Max Vert" and more about how high you jump in the second half, after you have jumped about 30 times already in the game and ran all out."-Mikey V

Just because a guy test well on 1 jump does not mean he cannot do it repeatedly…..I’m sure he can jump 38-40inches numerous times if tested. The goal of the combine is to just get that 1 good jump which helps boost your status according to some.

"He really isn’t an explosive athlete. Combine results aren’t everything… Take them with a grain of salt. You can train for months and post a high vertical. Plus jumping a few times isn’t the same as jumping repeatedly over and over again after running down the floor a ton of times."-Indy Bball

We know he plays at a tortoise pace, but we really cannot make the assumption that he cannont jump 39-40inches repeatedly…He has it set in his mind how he is going to play….Like I said before people give him less credit then he deserves because he does not display it. He is capable of windmills etc. Did you not see the baseline yam in the playoffs against the Spurs?

"Mayo can do some things other guys do on the court he just chooses not to do so"

"I’m sorry this is not an excuse, how do you know Mayo holds back his potential? Then it’s comparable to say Lebron chokes in the 4th because he chooses to do so as well."-JLV2011

How can you not think so? So Gary Payton was not athletic because he never displayed dunking ability? Hell, Marbury was a dunker a while back, but did away with it…..so did he not choose to stop showcasing his athleticism?

"This needs to be said…

Just because you can jump doesn’t necessarily make you a great athlete. Quickness, speed, strength, balance, coordination…all these attributes (and then some) all play apart towards being an athlete."-M-Dymes

Never said he was an elite athlete, but he does not get the credit he deserves for being decent enough. Just cause he tested a 41inch may not mean anything to you but IMO it shows that the explosiveness IS THERE somewhere…..He just has not stood out in 1 area for us to see it.

"OJ’s athleticism is best described as "smooth" IMO. He’s great athletically at everything just not really super explosive. BTW, Farmar’s vert actually shows when he is closing out on a shooter defensively."-Iguapops

Smooth is the exact word to describe Juice! I agree! Another thing is he IS NOT explosive but he has the ability to be if he can test a 41inch vert….You just don’t jump 41 without having any type of explosion just does not happen. He has very very decent closing speed on chasing defenders & loose balls. If he wants to get out & about on the break he will get that extra boost just to score a bucket.

Closing Statement……

A lot of folks talk down on his athleticism, but have any of you payed close attention to him chasing down a loose ball or defender, because he has decent closing speed. Again if Juice wants to get out & about on the break he will get that extra boost just to score a bucket……If you ask me acceleration has something to do with athleticism.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

"It goes to show that combine numbers are not even close to the end all be all, and it is less about what you post in your "Max Vert" and more about how high you jump in the second half, after you have jumped about 30 times already in the game and ran all out."-Mikey V

Just because a guy test well on 1 jump does not mean he cannot do it repeatedly…..I’m sure he can jump 38-40inches numerous times if tested. The goal of the combine is to just get that 1 good jump which helps boost your status according to some.

"He really isn’t an explosive athlete. Combine results aren’t everything… Take them with a grain of salt. You can train for months and post a high vertical. Plus jumping a few times isn’t the same as jumping repeatedly over and over again after running down the floor a ton of times."-Indy Bball

We know he plays at a tortoise pace, but we really cannot make the assumption that he cannont jump 39-40inches repeatedly…He has it set in his mind how he is going to play….Like I said before people give him less credit then he deserves because he does not display it. He is capable of windmills etc. Did you not see the baseline yam in the playoffs against the Spurs?

"Mayo can do some things other guys do on the court he just chooses not to do so"

"I’m sorry this is not an excuse, how do you know Mayo holds back his potential? Then it’s comparable to say Lebron chokes in the 4th because he chooses to do so as well."-JLV2011

How can you not think so? So Gary Payton was not athletic because he never displayed dunking ability? Hell, Marbury was a dunker a while back, but did away with it…..so did he not choose to stop showcasing his athleticism?

"This needs to be said…

Just because you can jump doesn’t necessarily make you a great athlete. Quickness, speed, strength, balance, coordination…all these attributes (and then some) all play apart towards being an athlete."-M-Dymes

Never said he was an elite athlete, but he does not get the credit he deserves for being decent enough. Just cause he tested a 41inch may not mean anything to you but IMO it shows that the explosiveness IS THERE somewhere…..He just has not stood out in 1 area for us to see it.

"OJ’s athleticism is best described as "smooth" IMO. He’s great athletically at everything just not really super explosive. BTW, Farmar’s vert actually shows when he is closing out on a shooter defensively."-Iguapops

Smooth is the exact word to describe Juice! I agree! Another thing is he IS NOT explosive but he has the ability to be if he can test a 41inch vert….You just don’t jump 41 without having any type of explosion just does not happen. He has very very decent closing speed on chasing defenders & loose balls. If he wants to get out & about on the break he will get that extra boost just to score a bucket.

Closing Statement……

A lot of folks talk down on his athleticism, but have any of you payed close attention to him chasing down a loose ball or defender, because he has decent closing speed. Again if Juice wants to get out & about on the break he will get that extra boost just to score a bucket……If you ask me acceleration has something to do with athleticism.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

Can I please get some feedback from all you guys I quoted?

[Lotto StudParticipant]

Can I please get some feedback from all you guys I quoted?

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’m not saying Mayo is a poor athlete. I just think he’s average.

I’ve watched him closely since he was drafted… He’s had some solid dunks. He threw one down over Hilton Armstrong during summer league his rookie season. I’ve just seem him struggled to finish around the rim consistently during his first three years. During high school and college, he got to the rim and finished consistently. That hasn’t happened in the NBA… And it’s because he just isn’t that great of an athlete. He’s also not very long. To be almost 6′ 5″, his arms are short.

The fallout of him not being able to finish consistently at the rim is he’s become more of a jumpshooter… The fallout of that has been a low number of free-throw attempts.

Another reason I don’t think he’s a great athlete is because at the defensive end. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness. He’s an aggresive/physical defender when he’s up close, but once he gets beat… He’s beat. He doesn’t have great recovery speed.

Once again… Not saying he’s a poor athlete or that he isn’t smooth. He’s just an average one. Doesn’t mean he can’t be a good player in the league. Like I said… I liked what I saw from him in the OKC series.

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I’m not saying Mayo is a poor athlete. I just think he’s average.

I’ve watched him closely since he was drafted… He’s had some solid dunks. He threw one down over Hilton Armstrong during summer league his rookie season. I’ve just seem him struggled to finish around the rim consistently during his first three years. During high school and college, he got to the rim and finished consistently. That hasn’t happened in the NBA… And it’s because he just isn’t that great of an athlete. He’s also not very long. To be almost 6′ 5″, his arms are short.

The fallout of him not being able to finish consistently at the rim is he’s become more of a jumpshooter… The fallout of that has been a low number of free-throw attempts.

Another reason I don’t think he’s a great athlete is because at the defensive end. He doesn’t have great lateral quickness. He’s an aggresive/physical defender when he’s up close, but once he gets beat… He’s beat. He doesn’t have great recovery speed.

Once again… Not saying he’s a poor athlete or that he isn’t smooth. He’s just an average one. Doesn’t mean he can’t be a good player in the league. Like I said… I liked what I saw from him in the OKC series.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

To sum up your whole statement……You are not buying what Mayo is selling which is cool.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

To sum up your whole statement……You are not buying what Mayo is selling which is cool.

[JNixonParticipant]

^That’s what you got out of everything he said? He’s not buying what OJ Mayo is selling?

[JNixonParticipant]

^That’s what you got out of everything he said? He’s not buying what OJ Mayo is selling?

[Lotto StudParticipant]

Bingo!

[Lotto StudParticipant]

Bingo!

[JNixonParticipant]

Why can’t he just be a decent athlete? Just because someone spoke the truth about him doesn’t mean that they aren’t "buying what he’s selling."

[JNixonParticipant]

Why can’t he just be a decent athlete? Just because someone spoke the truth about him doesn’t mean that they aren’t "buying what he’s selling."

[Lotto StudParticipant]

Not disputing anything he has voiced his opinion & so have I to everyone I quoted, which I gave legitimate answers to.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

Not disputing anything he has voiced his opinion & so have I to everyone I quoted, which I gave legitimate answers to.

[iguapops420Participant]

 Because OJ is better than just decent. That’s the point he’s trying to make. I’m actually from WV so I guarantee I’ve seen more OJ than most, and I can tell you he is a very good athlete, just not explosive. He can get that near 40 inches almost every time, but the fact that he doesn’t get to 40 inches as quickly as a guy like Wade makes him seem far less athletic than he is. And whoever said he can do things is actually pretty correct. OJ is lazy, he doesn’t do things because it would take too much energy. Do I think OJ is elite, no, do I think he is decent, no. OJ is what he is, a good athlete who struggles to finish inside due to length and strength. Adding about 10 lbs would help compensate for his lack of strength.

[iguapops420Participant]

 Because OJ is better than just decent. That’s the point he’s trying to make. I’m actually from WV so I guarantee I’ve seen more OJ than most, and I can tell you he is a very good athlete, just not explosive. He can get that near 40 inches almost every time, but the fact that he doesn’t get to 40 inches as quickly as a guy like Wade makes him seem far less athletic than he is. And whoever said he can do things is actually pretty correct. OJ is lazy, he doesn’t do things because it would take too much energy. Do I think OJ is elite, no, do I think he is decent, no. OJ is what he is, a good athlete who struggles to finish inside due to length and strength. Adding about 10 lbs would help compensate for his lack of strength.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

struggling to finish inside because of his lack of strength isn’t the issue, he just doesnt drive, AT ALL. Monta is one hell of a finisher for a 6’3 185lbs. If OJ had enough courage to drive inside, he would easily return from his 18PPG form, like his rookie year.

[ilike.panochasParticipant]

struggling to finish inside because of his lack of strength isn’t the issue, he just doesnt drive, AT ALL. Monta is one hell of a finisher for a 6’3 185lbs. If OJ had enough courage to drive inside, he would easily return from his 18PPG form, like his rookie year.

[JNixonParticipant]

"do I think he is decent, no. OJ is what he is, a good athlete"

So basically you wrote that whole paragraph to say that you don’t think he’s a *decent* athlete, you think he’s a *good* athlete. There is such a big difference between decent and good I guess

[JNixonParticipant]

"do I think he is decent, no. OJ is what he is, a good athlete"

So basically you wrote that whole paragraph to say that you don’t think he’s a *decent* athlete, you think he’s a *good* athlete. There is such a big difference between decent and good I guess

[iguapops420Participant]

 It’s a confidence issue I agree, but even when he does drive he doesn’t finish like he used to. And the lack of strength/length is the exact reason for his lack of confidence.

[iguapops420Participant]

 It’s a confidence issue I agree, but even when he does drive he doesn’t finish like he used to. And the lack of strength/length is the exact reason for his lack of confidence.

[iguapops420Participant]

 Yes there is a difference. decent emplies shittiness in some areas and being exceptional in others whereas good to me is good from top to bottom. A decent athlete is a guy like Jarrett Jack, good Juice, Great JR Smith, elite Wade. 

[iguapops420Participant]

 Yes there is a difference. decent emplies shittiness in some areas and being exceptional in others whereas good to me is good from top to bottom. A decent athlete is a guy like Jarrett Jack, good Juice, Great JR Smith, elite Wade. 

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

memphis_tyga’s monthy O.J. Mayo thread…

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

memphis_tyga’s monthy O.J. Mayo thread…

[llperez]

why you gotta bash farmars athleticism? He gets up hangs in the air on drives and has really nice lift on his pull up and dunks with ease when he has a lane or open floor. He might not be an elite ahtlete, but hes better then average and just as good if not better then oj mayo in that regard.

[llperez]

why you gotta bash farmars athleticism? He gets up hangs in the air on drives and has really nice lift on his pull up and dunks with ease when he has a lane or open floor. He might not be an elite ahtlete, but hes better then average and just as good if not better then oj mayo in that regard.

[PureshooterParticipant]

I think Mayo can probably get up with the best of them when there aren’t any defenders.  You just have to have another level of strength and aggressiveness to jump through contact with the ball in your hands. 

[PureshooterParticipant]

I think Mayo can probably get up with the best of them when there aren’t any defenders.  You just have to have another level of strength and aggressiveness to jump through contact with the ball in your hands. 

[Lotto StudParticipant]

He accelerates well may not have the blow by quickness but he has closing speed.

[Lotto StudParticipant]

He accelerates well may not have the blow by quickness but he has closing speed.

[Author]

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